Chapter 1 – I Have A Brother?!
"Kate, darling. Come downstairs and make supper," shouted Wadsworth from downstairs. Kate then closed her diary and headed downstairs for the kitchen.
"I'm on my way, Father," Kate replied as she entered hallway. As usual, Kate had her instincts waiting only if something strange or frightening was going to happen. Her father then greeted and escorted Kate to the kitchen.
"Who must I make dinner for?" asked Kate.
"Our special guest of course," replied Wadsworth.
"Will you tell me who it is?" Wadsworth ignored Kate's question, and he walked into the study. Kate didn't know what to do; then she decided to look for her mother. Her mother was Lynne Boddy, formerly known as Mrs. White. Soon enough, she found her mother in the library sorting out old novels.
"Mother?" Kate asked. Lynne turned around to see her daughter in her presence.
"Kate, didn't your father ask you to make dinner?" her mother asked. Without saying a word, Kate nodded her head.
"I've come to ask you a question. Father ignored me when I asked him," Kate commented.
"All right. What is it that you need to say?" Lynne asked.
"Mother, who might our special guest be?" As Lynne was about to answer, the doorbell rang.
"I guess that's your answer. Why don't you go open the door, dear." Following her mother's comment, Kate walked out and opened the door. Outside, there was a young man with a black suit just like Wadsworth. His face similarly matched Wadsworth's but with a younger texture.
"You must be the special guest. May I take your coat?" Kate asked.
"No. I mustn't let anyone touch or ruin my new coat," the boy replied in a British accent. Strange; he sounds like Father too Kate thought.
"Wow. You are a rather fine and dashing young man just like my father," said Kate.
"I know," the boy replied proudly. Just then, Wadsworth came out and saw the two teens talking.
"You should meet my father," Kate said as she escorted the boy to Wadsworth. "Young man, I'd like you to meet…" Kate was then interrupted.
"Father!" the boy said as he and Wadsworth shook hands. Kate's mouth dropped when she heard this.
"Michael, good to see you lad." Wadsworth then crossed over to Kate. "Kate darling, meet your step-brother, Michael. Michael, this is your step-sister, Kate," said Wadsworth indicating them to each other. Michael was always well mannered so he stretched his hand out. Kate stared at it with disgust. She then turned to her father.
"Father, I'd like to talk with you in private," she said walking with Wadsworth to the diner. "You never told me I had a step-brother!"
"I also didn't tell your mother either," Wadsworth replied.
"What do you mean? He's your son, but he's not Mother's son? I'm confused."
"Kate, the truth is that your mother is my second wife."
"Well, then who's Michael's mother?"
"I married Camilla Dawkins in the year 1951 before the fake blackmail came three years later. She was my first wofe, childhood friend, and Michael's mother. She was sufferring from a hard disease the year Michael came into the world. Six months later, she died. I was never able to handle Michael, so I handed him over to Grandmother Charlotte. When he turned sixteen, Charlotte passed away and he lives on his own today."
"How old is he then?"
"He's 18 and you're 15. That means you have a three year difference in each other." Ignoring the comment, Kate headed straight for the library to tell her mother. "Kate, where are you going?"
"I'm going to tell mother that you have an extra son that could be explained easliy. I cannot believe that you lied to both of us!"
"I never lie, Kate."
"Father, you don't lie, you just don't tell the truth." As Kate strided into the hall, Wadsworth sighed and wished he'd never mentioned that to Kate.
